This invention relates to an image display method, particularly to an image display method capable of displaying an image in response to a person located in front of an image display apparatus.
The recent development of computer networks has made mobile computing a commonplace, in which people use notebook-sized PCs having communication capabilities, PDAs (personal digital assistants), cell phones, etc. and send or receive information on the Internet, by e-mail or some other means so that it can be browsed while the user is moving.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 250009/1999 discloses a network server apparatus with which web data in request is so converted as to comply with the specifications of a PDA and permit browsing of a desired web page with the PDA, as well as a web data conversion system which converts web data to allow for faster browsing of a web page with the PDA.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-324555 discloses a mobile terminal device that is to be connected to the Internet via radio communication means and which receives initial screen information for the address designated with browsing software so that the received information is represented on a display section, characterized by having initial screen setting means capable of selectively executing a home page displaying action for receiving data for the home page of a preset address or a designated page displaying action for designating the page of another address and receiving data for that page, so that the user can receive the necessary information rapidly and correctly.
When you are watching television in a room of your home, you may sometimes have to leave the room for some reason (e.g. taking a bath or washing your hands). If you want to continue to watch the TV program, you must either carry a portable TV set along or install a TV receiver at every place you are supposed to go to, turn on the TV receiver in the place you have moved to and tune it to the program you have been watching.
However, the practices described above have their own problems. Using the terminal devices of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 250009/1999 and 2000-324555 in order to browse information on the Internet while you are moving requires that you always carry such terminal devices along. This is also true with the case of carrying a portable TV set along in order to ensure that you can watch a TV program without interruption wherever you go in your home.
The method of installing a TV receiver in every place of your home to which you are supposed to go is not an exception and has two problems. For one thing, a conventional CRT-based TV requires a large space of installation. Secondly, in order to avoid the need to switch a particular TV receiver on and off, you must carry a remote control along.